


Destroying Infinity

by josiaht



Category: Yandere Simulator (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Stalking, Yandere Taro Yamada | Senpai, Yandere-kun - Freeform, also fuck the teacher char, but i changed it lol, fuck yandev, genders have been mixed, god why are there so many characters, half these names are stupid, honestly this is just me fuckin around, i think the canon name for yankun is ayato, ill probs change some names too, im not tagging all chars, im so tempted to change peoples names, it's now akimitsu, rated M for violence, she aint in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:54:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27398308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/josiaht/pseuds/josiaht
Summary: Akimitsu is, in every sense of the word, infinite. He's like the sun, shining so brightly that he could blind you. He is like a black hole, he sucks you in, and he can destroy you and make you infinite in the same breath. At least, that's what Taro Yamada thinks.orTaro Yamada is a little too into Akimitsu Aishi, a new student.
Relationships: Ayano Aishi | Yandere-chan & Everyone, Ayano Aishi | Yandere-chan/Taro Yamada | Senpai, One Sided - Relationship
Comments: 17
Kudos: 38





	1. Discovery of the Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Hi hi! I thought I'd make a little note here in case you didn't read my mess of tags. There's going to be a *lot* of changes here. Starting off, Taro is now the batshit motherfucker! This was honestly because I wanted to play around with Taro as a character. 
> 
> Yandere-chan is 'Yandere-kun' (technically not since he's not a yandere but, y'know) and is named Akimitsu. 
> 
> Osana is male and named Osamu.
> 
> The teacher and the nurse were removed for.. well, pretty obvious reasons. I'm also not including the panty shots thing or anything of that sort.
> 
> A lot of characters are being changed for both plot and personal preference! Including club characters, the bullies, ect ect. I'm also changing genders of certain characters just for fun! 
> 
> And Aki will end up with someone, but I'm keeping it a secret!
> 
> There'll be a lot of other story changes but those are the one's I don't think will be explained in the fic lolol. So basically this is an entire overhaul of Yansim.

Taro Yamada didn't see the point in interacting with people. He didn't enjoy it. People were predictable, they were always doing things for their gain. He could even admit that his hatred was hypocritical, because he did the same. He was nice to Osamu because he got something out of it. His mom didn't whine about him having no friends, he had someone to wake him up when he inevitably stayed up too late, and he had someone to cook for him. He was the same as everyone else, and that infuriated him more than their incessant chattering and fake attitudes.

He kept this line of thought for a _long_ time, truth be told. He was, as far as he was concerned, not different from them either. He hated it, he was the same as every other shithead in this town and on this Earth. Everyone was. All the same.

_But he was so, so wrong_.

It had been raining hard that day, he hadn't brought an umbrella because he felt like walking in the rain. It cleared his head, and while he wasn't a fan of wet clothes, he was willing to put up with it if it meant just feeling the pelting sensation. He thought of what he was going to write when he got home, he hadn't written a poem in a long minute. He had been too focused on midterms and making sure he was at least staying above the passing line, even if he didn't care. He didn't want to deal with the repercussions of failing, and he didn't want to deal with Osamu crying and whining about him failing after their studying sessions.

He shook his head of that thought, agitation already rising up. He paused for a moment as he heard a noise, straining to hear. The sound of the rain pounding and thunder rolling was drowning it out, but finally, as he turned a corner, he could hear it clearly. A voice, soft as could be, talking. He nearly jumped when he saw a young man, probably a year or two younger than him, kneeling in front of a tiny box.

The teen didn't seem to notice Taro, and he was almost angry about it, until he saw what was inside the box. A tiny, malnourished looking kitten. Dirty and mangy. _Disgusting_. Taro nearly sneered at it, but he stopped himself, if not for the fact someone was here. He was sure this person hadn't seen him yet, but he didn't want him to look at the wrong time. He had a reputation to keep up.

"It's okay, kitty, I know you're scared," the boy in front of Taro commented. He noted then that there was small red streaks running from his hands. The dirty little creature had scratched this boys hands to hell and back, and he was still trying to help him. Taro didn't understand, staring at the scene before him. Finally, after what seemed like 10 minutes, the creature relaxed enough to let the teen pick it up. Pressing it into his jacket, he seemed to visibly relax now that it was safe. And _that_ was when he looked over to Taro.

"Oh!" he nearly jumped, and Taro had to hold himself back from laughing. The other was smaller than him, shorter and thinner. He was fragile looking, almost like a doll. Taro's thoughts were broken when the rain on his head stopped, and he was mildly startled to realize the other was closer to him now. Using his own umbrella to cover himself and Taro, leaving his own shoulder out. 

_Why?_

"I'm sorry, you look soaked! I didn't realize you were there, I'm super sorry! Oh gosh, you're probably gonna get sick," the other took to mumbling a mile a minute, seeming worried. Taro quirked a brow, but he figured it couldn't hurt to play friendly.

"It's okay, it was my fault. My home is close by, you're pretty wet too. And the cat is probably hungry," Taro commented. His breath was caught in his throat at the way the teen beamed up at him, so _sweet_ and like he didn't have a care in the world. He wanted to keep that smile in a box for only his eyes.

... Okay, that was not the reaction he expected his brain to take. He shook it off, and began walking, dragging the other teen along. He didn't understand why he had thought that over simply seeing him smile, but Taro wasn't about to question it. It was probably just a random little thought that he would be able to ignore.

"What's your name?"

"Taro Yamada. Yours?"

"Akimitsu Aishi! It's nice to meet you, Yamada-san!"

"Yeah," Taro replied, breathing in. This kid was far too happy and excitable for his liking, and he had to deal with _Osamu_ most days. He ignored the little smile he felt creeping onto his face at the way Akimitsu said his name, opting to focus on getting home. It was easy, though they began running at the last half given the rain managed to pick up even more. Entering his home, Taro knew well his parents wouldn't be home. They weren't home often anyway, so he had no worries about them coming in.

"Wait here, I'll get a couple towels," Taro pointedly demanded, though Aki didn't seem at all bothered. The young man kicked his shoes off, moving to the bathroom. He ignored the fact he was dripping water onto the floor, he figured he would anyway.

Finding a couple towels for himself, Aki, and that mangy little creature he was sure Aki was still clutching to his chest, he came back. Unsurprisingly, Aki was standing, waiting. Just like he asked. He listened well, at least. Throwing two towels over to the shorter, he began to dry himself off. Watching Aki was odd, the teen didn't seem to care much at all about himself. First, he focused on getting the cat cleaned off and dry, making sure he had no injuries. Then he was more worried about the _floor_ , worrying about ruining Taro's home. Finally, he though that Akimitsu would focus on himself, but then his attention turned to Taro.

Taro was surprised by being gestured over, but he walked over, confusion evident on his face. Aki's hands moved, grabbing the towel in Taro's hands as he began drying him off for him. Suddenly, the once cold feeling of rain heated up, and he felt like he was on _fire_. He didn't get it, Aki was practically _shaking_ from the cold, and he was focusing on Taro? It didn't make sense, he didn't understood what Akimitsu was getting out of it.

He didn't care, right now, though. He moved his own hands to help, rolling his eyes as he tried to play off being annoyed by the shorter. The smile he received was worth it, he though. He was far too hypocritical to not expect something out of helping the other, and that smile was far more than he needed. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of things, but they were all interconnected. Like a spider web with a central point, or the core to this shitty planet.

_Akimitsu Aishi_.

He hadn't realized he zoned out until he felt Akimitsu tapping his shoulder, offering a shy smile to him. Taro didn't understand the other, and he was getting more confused and frustrated by the moment. Akimitsu Aishi was a conundrum in a person, and he was messing with Taro's perception. It was _annoying_. Like a bug he wanted to squash. He ignored that thought, and the subsequent thought of how he was sure no one had seen him with Akimitsu. How no one would know if he smashed his head against the ground until he stopped breathing.

"The cat's probably hungry," he managed to get out, turning on his heel as he moved to the kitchen. He didn't want to think about harming the other, it made him sick. Sure, whenever Osamu or his mother annoyed him, he thought of even _worse_ things, but this was different. Akimitsu wasn't like them. Wasn't like _Taro_. He was different, even if Taro didn't know why yet. He paused when he realized he wasn't being followed, frowning as he turned and called out. "You can follow me."

Shuffling quickly, Taro found Akimitsu following him once more. He wouldn't admit to the little swell of pride at that. He liked Aki following him like a little puppy, looking to him and listening to him. He squashed those thoughts down, not wanting to deal with whatever could _possibly_ be implied with those little comments he kept to himself.

"So.. Uhm, Yamada-san! Your house is very nice!"

"Thanks."

"... Are your parents home?"

"No, they usually aren't. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course! I just didn't want to intrude," Akimitsu quickly waved the free hand he had. Taro quirked a brow at that, but he didn't question it, simply shrugging. It was obvious the other was trying to make conversation, and Taro felt a little bad about making him carry the conversation, so he hummed a bit.

"Did you move in? I've never seen you."

"Yes! I moved from Fukuoka!"

"Far away, any reason?"

"Mhm, my mother said she needed to get away. Papa didn't mind, so we moved back to their home town," Aki explained as they arrived into the kitchen. Taro nodded, letting the information marinate for a moment as he looked through the kitchen for food appropriate for a cat. "I'll be starting at Akademi in a few days!" and _that_ put a stop to looking. Furrowing his brow, he looked over to Aki, who blinked with wide eyes at the sudden stop.

"Akademi, huh? What year are you in?"

"11!"

"I'm in year 12," Taro replied, and the immediate panic Aki gave was enough to surprise him sincerely.

"Ahh, I'm so sorry! I've been using such casual language, I'm so sorry, Yamada-senpai," he quickly blurted out, seeming to be genuinely bothered. Taro didn't truly care about that sort of thing, honestly he hadn't even thought about it when Aki brought it up, but hearing him use more formal language was... _annoying_. He didn't mind the senpai title, it was cute, but the rest of it was too up tight. He wanted Aki to be casual, _comfortable_ , with him.

"It's fine, I don't mind. I prefer it. You can still call me senpai, though," Taro replied as he went back to digging through his cupboard, hearing the soft sigh of relief. The sound of a kitten meowing was grating, but hearing Aki go from worried to so excited about the little mangy creature was enough to make Taro feel good. Really good. The excited whispering and cooing at the creature was enough to make him almost not hate it for ruining Aki's hands.

"We'll clean your wounds too."

"My battle scars!"

"Sure, if that's what you want to call them," he replied sarcastically, earning a giggle from Aki. He felt himself grin even before he realized it, but he didn't mind. Aki was allowed to see his grin, he was sure the other didn't care. Moving, he opened a tuna can, pouring it onto a small plate. He grabbed a bowl, filling it with water before finally setting both down on the floor. "You can set it down. We'll work on your hand while it eats."

"Okay, thank you Yamada-senpai," Aki offered him a gentle smile, setting the cat down. The annoying little creature moved, quickly eating without hesitation, and that left Taro and Akimitsu.

Waving for Akimitsu to follow him, he set the younger down on the couch, moving back to the bathroom to search for a first aid kit. He found it, moving back out to the living room. He took a seat beside Akimitsu, and it was then he really noticed their size difference. He had a good few inches, maybe a whole foot, on the teenager, and he was quite sure Aki was underweight. He was too thin, far too fragile looking.

Taking the other's hands, he looked over the injuries. Most of it wasn't too bad, but there were a few cuts that were quite deep. He was worried that they'd need stitches at first, but quickly dismissed his worries since they already had stopped bleeding. Using some antiseptic, and ignoring the way Aki whined and huffed in the _cutest_ way, he used a couple large bandages to cover the injuries. He ignored the way his mind unhelpfully commented on how _nice_ cuts looked on Aki, wanting nothing more than to punch himself.

"Thanks for everything, Yamada-senpai. I dunno what I would've done."

"I'm sure you'd have been fine."

"No, no, my mother and papa would've been really mad if they found out I got all wet and stuff. Thank you, seriously."

Taro looked at him, and it was then he really noticed how _tired_ Aki looked. Far too tired, and far too willing to trust someone like Taro. He was lucky it was Taro that had picked him up, and not some _freak_.

' _You are a freak, Taro.'_

Shaking his head out, he realized then that he mentioned his mother and father, quirking a brow. "Are they going to be okay with you bringing back a cat?"

"Uh, probably not.. I didn't really think things through," he admitted, laughing awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Taro sighed, rolling his eyes. He figured as much, honestly. The guy in front of him was probably an air head if today was any indication of him. He couldn't judge, though, because his first thought was to offer to take the cat. "I mean, my parents won't notice, and it hasn't hissed at me, so I can assume it doesn't hate me."

Aki's eyes blew out then, wide and worry filled. "I couldn't ask that of you, senpai! A cat is a lot of work and you've already done so much and--"

"Aishi-san, it's fine. Seriously."

"..Are you sure, Yamada-senpai?"

"Yes."

"Thank you so, so much!" Aki's abrupt change in volume, followed by the arms that found themselves around Taro surprised the older. He was surprised by the way Akimitsu seemed so comfortable, but some small part of him was excited about that. Too excited. He breathed in, offering an awkward hug back, rubbing small circles into Akimitsu's back.

Pulling back after a moment, Taro ignored the feeling of agitation in his stomach. He wasn't about to forcibly hug Aki, even if he wanted to, breathing out as he looked over at the time. His guest seemed to have followed his line of sight, eyes blowing wide once more as he quickly stood up, startling Taro in the moment.

"Oh gosh, it's so late already. I need to go, I'm sorry Yamada-senpai! Uhm," he seemed to think, tapping his foot. "Do you have a pen and paper?" he asked, earning Taro nodding as he searched through the coffee table to find it. "I know we'll see each other at school, maybe, but," the shorter moved, writing something down and handing it off to Taro. "I'd really like to talk to you more, senpai! Have a good night!" he hurried out.

Watching the outburst left Taro stunned, even at the sound of his front door closing. He furrowed his brow, looking down onto the paper he had been handed. Akimitsu's email. He didn't bother hiding the giddy grin that broke out then, running his fingers over the writing. It was so clean and crisp and _perfect,_ just like Aki. He breathed out, hearing the sound of the cat meowing. He didn't care if he hated that cat, and that he would have to bathe it tomorrow. He was happy. So, so happy.

Moving to his room quickly, he slammed the door shut, breathing erratically as he finally began to write. The muse he was looking for, wanting for so long, had finally come back full force.

_You are ~~beautiful soft gentle amazing perfect~~ infinite, a looping sound that never ends  
I want to keep you on repeat and listen to only you until [ God ] ends my existence  
  
_

_Who are you? Why do you exist? What can I do to close this distance?_

_I would do anything to ensure only I see your smile, because your beauty transcends  
My pathetic lifespan, and if I wanted to be cruel and evil, I would ruin it  
_

_I want to ruin it, and you._

_I want to drain the light only you and the sun can emit_  
Nothing else will do.  


_Akimitsu Aishi_

_This is bigger than any of us could ever foresee._


	2. In the Dark, a Boquet is Arranged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taro greets Akimitsu on his first day, and he comes to realize that he's being watched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, including 'Ribaru' and Osamu now! Her new name is Reiko Fuse! Changed Osamu's last name too, honestly for no reason. Also Akimitsu might be color blind with how many red flags he's missing.

Being excited for school wasn't normal for Taro, truth be told. He tolerated it at best he could, and it was always that simple. Sure, there were some good things, he got to get away from his annoying little sister, and he could read and write freely, but there was always dealing with other people. They were annoying at best, and a nuisance at worst, and that was far too often. Today, however, excitement buzzed through the young man as he prepared for the day. Wringing his hands together before he combed through his hair, breathing out as he shook his head. He almost looked like a respectable young man, even if his hair was overgrown and uncut in the most unruly of ways. He wondered for a moment if Akimitsu would like it cut, but for now he'd focus on simply looking presentable.

When the doorbell rang aggressively, he groaned lowly. Right, Osamu was going to be a pain in his fucking ass this morning. Not only was he awake at a normal time, he had showered and even combed look his hair. The idea of listening to that grating commentary was already getting on Taro's nerves, but he had to keep himself calm. He had a reputation to uphold, especially with Akimitsu around now.

Going down to the door, he prepared himself mentally for what was about to come. Taking in a deep breath, he opened the door with a slight grimace. Osamu's face almost made his annoyance go away though, the dumbfounded expression was pretty funny. The way he seemed to freeze up and genuinely be in shock added to the humor, earning Taro quirking a brow.

"Are you gonna gawk all day or are you coming in?"

"I-.. I'm coming in, stupid! Move out of the way," the red head huffed out, pushing past his childhood friend. "Since when did you get up at a reasonable time?? You don't look as greasy as usual, either."

"I planned on meeting someone at school, I wanted to look decent," Taro replied casually. Osamu seemed to pause, face scrunching up for a moment as he looked over towards the other.

"Someone agreed to meet you?"

"No, I ran into someone who just moved in. I figured I'd help him find his classes," he offered up casually.

It wasn't hard for him to see disbelief and confusion on Osamu's face. He understood where the other was coming from, most people didn't interact with Taro in general. He was a wallflower in their school, and he was generally sure most people didn't even know he existed. Not to mention, he usually made an _effort_ to not interact with people. He hardly tolerated the few people in his life, the idea of him going out of his way to interact with someone was _far_ from normal.

Osamu seemed to huff before going back to his normal comments, ensuring that Taro knew he was an idiot for not cooking lunch or eating breakfast when he had the chance. Of course, Osamu just so _happened_ to have brought some food from his mother, and he just so _happened_ to have brought a second lunch. Taro didn't bother hiding the eye roll, simply thanking the other as he took a seat at his dinner table. The soft sound of a meow seemed to perk Osamu's interest.

"Was that a cat? I thought you totally hated, like, all animals?"

"The guy I met found it in a cardboard box, but he couldn't take it home. So I offered, since mom and dad are away and I'm sure Hanako will like it," Taro supplied in a bored manner, moving to eat the breakfast offered.

Osamu furrowed his brow once more before watching the mangy kitten stroll right on over, meowing excitedly and rubbing up against his leg. His expression changed then, grinning widely as he picked up the little ball of fur.

"He looks pretty thin, did you feed him?"

"Not today, no. I did last night. I have to give him a bath too."

"We can do it after school," Osamu asserted abruptly, and though Taro wanted to deny it, he knew he couldn't. Osamu was a cat person through and through, and he had no problems forcing his way into the home. The only good part was the fact Taro was quite sure he could skimp out on the cleaning duty of the little kitten, especially if he managed to invite Aki over as he wanted. It would be easy to get around having to wash the cat if he simply was too busy making sure his kouhai was well taken care of. After all, Akimitsu looked like he was going to fall down from the wind blowing on him, he was sure Osamu would see it too.

The rest of breakfast was uneventful, with Taro simply eating as Osamu cooed over the tiny cat. Surprisingly, Taro noted the redhead was very attentive to the cat, ensuring he was comfortable and feeding him. He prepared for the scolding, he figured he had done something wrong watching the cat the first night, and unsurprisingly he had. Apparently the kitten was too small to be eating an entire can of tuna for the moment, so he needed to be more careful. Add on that he should've removed fleas and ticks last night, and he was already tired but the time the two left.

The walk to school was rather boring, Osamu seemed to complain about everything during the time, and it was already grating Taro's senses. The constant whining was finally broken though as they came up to the school, with one of Osamu's friends attempting to tackle hug him. Reiko Fuse, someone Taro found to be just as grating as Osamu in most cases. He withheld an eye roll, especially when he finally noticed Akimitsu. He didn't even bother explaining himself as he moved quickly to greet the shorter, nearly yanking his arm out of it's socket.

"Aishi-kun."

"Ah, Yamada-senpai!" Akimitsu didn't seem bothered by the abrupt yank, simply smiling widely. Taro offered a sincere grin, humming lightly as he looked down towards the other. "Sorry, I was just about to start looking for my class."

"What classroom is it?"

"Hmm.. 2-A!"

"I know where that is, I can take you, if you want," Taro offered up casually, dropping the arm he had in a vice grip. He reprimanded himself lightly, knowing _well_ that was probably going to bruise. He did, however, enjoy the fact Akimitsu didn't seem bothered at all. Instantly that mood was ruined by the sounds of Osamu and Reiko yelling out after him.

"Taro, you idiot! Why did you run off like that?!"

"Taro-kun is so mean, leaving me and Osamu-kun!" Reiko fake whined, obviously playing up her suffering.

They both seemed to pause as Taro turned, noting the younger teen next to him. Osamu furrowed his brow for a moment, looking between Taro and Aki before making the connection. He smiled instantly, bowing quickly as he seemed to finally understand what was going on. ~~Taro wanted to punt him for looking at Akimitsu that way~~ ~~.~~ Reiko raised a brow then, looking between all three people in this little group.

"You're the one who found the kitten right? I'm Nakajima Osamu, Taro's friend. This is Fuse Reiko," Osamu greeted with a soft smile. Taro almost made a comment about how different he was behind the scenes, full on insulting his _friend_ , but he kept it to himself. He wanted to see Akimitsu's reaction to his friends, after all.

"Ah, yes!! It's a pleasure to meet you, Nakajima-senpai, and Fuse-senpai," the boy quickly scrambled to bow, offering a wide, puppy like grin. Taro ignored the stab to his gut, knowing well he was being ridiculous for wanting the other to not interact with others. It was impossible for now. For now.

Reiko grew excited, squealing out and throwing her arms around Aki instantly, giggling out and clapping her hands. The excitement was unsurprising for Taro and Osamu, having known the excitable girl for years. Aki let out a light laugh, offering a soft pat to her arms as he seemed to try and grow a bit more comfortable. Osamu glanced over towards Taro, who offered a simple shrug. He knew red head was curious about how this little thing came to be, but he wouldn't give him the explanation just yet.

Osamu offered to help the other find his classes, and slowly the little group made their way to the 11th years floor. Taro did have to admit, it was easier to integrate him closer if he had his 'friends' approval, so he allowed it to happen, simply watching as the two talked with the younger boy. It wasn't surprising they ended up late bringing the boy to his class, but his teacher was nice enough to write the little group a slip. Leaving Akimitsu to his own class was painful, but Taro endured it if not for the thought of inviting him over for the cat.

Lunch came and while his friends seemed surprised by his sudden want to invite Aki to their spot, they didn't seem to mind. He was thankful for that at least, knowing well they could have sent the teen off. Aki gladly said he'd join, waving off the few people who had been talking to him, politely saying bye and declining their offers for the day. They didn't seem to mind, but Taro knew they did. Who wouldn't be upset over this little creature not being around?

"Aishi-kun," Taro started as they finally sat down in the grass outside, humming lightly. "Would you like to see the cat tonight? We're going to give it a bath."

"Ha! Like you're gonna, you're totally inviting Aishi-kun so you can get out of it, you lazy dummy," Osamu snorted out, earning Reiko's giggling. Taro's grip on the chopsticks tightened and for a moment he thought about how easy it would be to stab Osamu in the eye. He didn't, but damn did he want to.

"Is it alright if I do? I was worried about him-- not that I'm saying you're a bad owner, Yamada-senpai!! I just know the little guy is tiny and I got worried," Akimitsu scrambled an explanation, waving his hands quickly. Taro snorted, patting his head casually to tell him it was okay. He didn't miss the way Osamu smiled sincerely at Aki. He didn't miss the way his heart squeezed and suddenly the idea of stabbing Osamu was _far_ nicer than he would ever think to admit.

Lunch went on as normal, and soon they were back in classes, but Taro's mind began to wander. _Did Osamu like Akimitsu? Did he think he had a chance with someone like Aki? Did **Taro** have a chance with someone like Aki? _He was just as bad as Osamu, he knew that, but he couldn't help but think to this morning. The way Aki didn't mind his vice grip, simply smiling at him like nothing had happened. Of course, Aki probably realized he was just trying to be nice to him. He had to realize it, after all. He was being so concise and clear about it that it was borderline obvious that Taro liked him. He'd have to dial it back, before Reiko made that connection as well. He shook his head out, sighing as he went to studying.

He wasn't going to get answers just sitting here thinking like an idiot. Tonight, he would see how Aki interacted with him.

When the day finally ended, Taro nearly jumped out of his seat to go see Aki, but he withheld himself. He didn't want his companions to get suspicious of his sudden change in attitude, so he played it casual, walking with them to the front to wait for Akimitsu. The boy was already there, greeting them joyfully and standing right beside Taro. Where he _should be_. They all talked casually, with Taro only interjecting when Aki said something or Osamu insulted him.

Getting back, he heard the sound of the cat meowing loudly, earning all three of his guests nearly tripping over themselves to get their shoes off to go see the mangy creature. He sighed, rolling his eyes as Osamu and Reiko practically tugged Aki along. _He did immediately follow them, he was waiting for Taro. Like he_ _should_. He paused, looking towards his phone as he heard the soft chime of his ringtone.

> ✉ To : yamadataro@xxx.com
> 
> From : unkown@unknown
> 
> I see you got home well, Taro. Message me when they leave, we have something to discuss. It's about your little crush, Aishi.

Taro furrowed his brow then, staring at the image as he tried to think about who the hell this could be from. He started at the fact that there was no return address, other than being _unknown_. He was unnerved, someone was stalking him and they knew he liked Aki. This was _bad_ , but he would have to wait until everyone left.

Going to the kitchen, he saw Osamu had already shed his jacket, rolling his sleeves up to the elbow as he filled the sink with warm water. Reiko was fawning over the creature that snuggled into Aki's chest, using a pair of tweezers to get away any ticks that were visible. He raised a brow, but decided to play nice, moving over to stand beside the little group. He could complain about the disgusting act of squishing bugs in a paper towel another time.

"What took you so long? Forget how to untie your shoes?"

"Wasn't that you, Osamu?" Taro shot back, earning a flustered 'shut up!' from his normally bold friend. He snorted, rolling his eyes as he looked to Akimitsu. He grinned widely, noting the way Aki seemed to snuggle the cat happily. He wasn't even bothered that Rei was there, the way Akimitsu's eyes sparkled was enough to last Taro a life time. He thought then to comparing Aki to a black hole, but those sparkles made him think different. A sun. Blinding, but necessary and beautiful.

Akimitsu was his sun.

He was brought out of his little tangent when he saw Osamu reach for the cat, letting Akimitsu hand it over. He had to laugh at the way it nearly ripped Osamu's arms open, requiring both Reiko and Aki to help him bath. He simply sat back and watched the chaos, grinning at the sight. Aki's laugh was far nicer than he expected, the giggles and excitable laughs were far more than he ever could have imagined.

"Hey idiot, instead of laughing at us, how about getting a towel?!"

"Yeah yeah, quit your whining," Taro sighed out, moving to grab a towel. He paused, looking at the hair dryer and shrugging as he grabbed it, bringing it back. He ignored the fact that little disgusting creature was dripping onto the floor, handing them both over. Osamu wrapped the creature in the towel, huffing out as he looked at his arms.

"Want me to get a first aid kit?"

"Yeah, and bring some of your shirts. We're all totally soaked," Osamu groaned out, earning a nod. Aki smiled apologetically, and Taro ignored the way his heart squeezed. He waved him off, trying to signal that it was okay as he went towards his room. Akimitsu was going to be wearing Taro's shirt. He almost fell down the stairs in his excitement, grinning manically as he managed to make his way up to his room, grabbing a few shirts. He chose his favourite casual shirt for Aki to wear, the idea of the smaller practically swimming in his favourite band shirt was enough to get him giddy.

He made sure to be slow going down the stairs, not wanting to bust his head open, before remembering the first aid kit. He went into the bathroom on the bottom floor, finding the same one he used for Aki and grabbed it. He made his way out, noting Osamu had already taken his shirt off as he used the blow dryer on the kitten. The little ball of fluff was starting to look less mangy and disgusting now, at least. Throwing a shirt at Osamu, then Reiko, he carefully handed the last shirt off to Aki.

"Ah, is it okay if I used your bathroom, Yamada-senpai?"

"Of course, it's in the hallway in front of the entrance. First door on the right."

"Thank you!" Aki hummed out, smiling happily as he went off. Taro grew excited, but he kept his calm as he sat down, watching Osamu change. He didn't bother looking at Reiko, knowing well the young woman had no shame in changing in front of the other two.

"Hey, where's Hanako? I wanted to see the cute baby!!" Reiko accused in a huff, crossing her arms.

"She's spending a few nights with her friend. I was happy to send her annoying ass off," Taro replied casually, leaning back on his hands. He earned two hard smacks from the two others, groaning as he gripped his head. "It's true! God, you guys think she's such an angel."

"She is!!" Osamu huffed out.

The other two continued to comment on his sister, but Taro was distracted as he noticed Aki coming back. He was right, the boy practically _swam_ in his shirt, and he seemed a little flustered by that fact. It was hard for Taro to ignore the way his heart fluttered and restricted, growing far more excited. He finally did catch, however, the bruise on Aki's arm. He did that. He caused that bruise. He really should feel bad about it, the deep purple mixing with blue and black and even a small bit of _red_ contrasting on pale skin should make him feel awful. It should, really.

So why does he feel proud about it?

He shook his head out, scooting over as Aki sat down beside the taller. He smiled gently at the shorter, which seemed to make Aki smile brightly back. He truly was the sun, he was going to blind Taro if he kept this up. It was hard enough being around him, but those smiles reserved only for Taro? Those were making things far harder than necessary.

As the night went on, the cat was finally named. Taro had demanded Aki do it, purely because he found the cat, and no one seemed to object. He decided on Naruto, given the fish-cake-like pattern the kitten had. Aki also mentioned that the kitten's excitable nature reminded him of the character, so it was perfect. Taro wouldn't admit that he had done that so he could have some attachment to the cat, give him more reason to actually care for it rather than simply saying it _ran away_ one day.

When the night came to an end, Taro quietly asked Osamu to walk Aki home. The red head seemed to be surprised for only a moment, before nodded. He was already walking Reiko, and according to Aki, they lived close to one another when addresses were exchanged. As they left, Taro's mind finally went right back to that email. Right, that fucking email. He grimaced, going to his room he sat on his bed.

> I see you got home well, Taro. Message me when they leave, we have something to discuss. It's about your little crush, Aishi.
> 
> How did you get my email? And I don't have a crush on Aishi-kun. Whoever you are, you're a weird ass stalker.
> 
> A stalker? How rude, Yamada Taro. Besides, I'm sure you already know me. I get called Info-san at school.
> 
> Bullshit, no one gets in contact with Info-san.
> 
> Of course, I only contact people I'm interested in. Don't try and pull a wall over my eyes, Taro. That's how you get on my bad side.
> 
> How can you prove you're Info-san?
> 
> Easy, I can give you any information you want.
> 
> Give me all the information you have on me.
> 
> Asking for so much already, Taro? Well, I suppose you're smarter than I took your for. Fine.
> 
> Taro Yamada, age 18, blood type AB. You have a little sister named Hanako who's staying at a friend's for exactly 3 more nights.  
>  Your mother and father are away on business, specifically I know your father is a sales associate for your mother's accounting  
>  business. You're not in any clubs, you write poetry and read (garbage taste, by the way). Your only friends before Aishi-kun came  
>  along were Osamu and Reiko. You've harmed animals as a child, though that got covered up thanks your mother's connections.  
>  You also seem to have some pretty dark interests, if your computer history says anything.
> 
> What the fuck?? How do you know this shit??
> 
> I have my name for a reason, Taro. Now, shall we help each other out?
> 
> Stop fucking falling me Taro! And what the hell do you mean??
> 
> Stop speaking so cryptically you bastard.
> 
> So mean, but I digress. To get straight to the point, I want to see how far you take this little infatuation. Plus, I want something  
>  from you. I want you to do my bidding, and in exchange, I'll help you with Aishi-kun. I'll even give you a treat for being a good  
>  dog if you say yes.
> 
> Your bidding?
> 
> What do you want me to do?
> 
> Nothing too serious, don't worry. A few beatings here to make sure people understand their place, a few blackmailing sessions  
>  there to ensure I get what I need. Stuff like that. Of course, you'll get rewarded for helping me. I can get quite a bit for you, y'know.
> 
> Uniforms, drugs, alcohol, ect ect.
> 
> Why would I need that stuff?
> 
> Oh come now, Yamada-kun. You and I both know that it's not going to be easy to sweep Aishi off his feet. After all, in your own  
>  words, you are a shitty little maggot just like everyone else. Why not get rid of the competition? Hm?
> 
> And how do I know you're not going to turn me in?
> 
> Smart dog. Easy, this is a traceable phone. The email says it's from unknown, but that's easy to fix. I'm trusting you not to turn  
>  _me_ in, Yamada-kun.
> 
> How can I trust you? I mean, you're not exactly making a case by having me do bad shit for you.
> 
> Fair point. Well, no one knows anything about my real identity right? Just that I can contact you if I need something.
> 
> So, here's a few clues. We're in the same year and same school, and I'm someone you wouldn't expect.
> 
> I'm guessing you won't tell me even if I guess right, huh?
> 
> The dog is truly smarter than I thought. Correct. Maybe if we grow to trust each other more.
> 
> This is an awful idea, but fine. I'll do it.
> 
> Smart choice, Yamada-kun. How smart indeed. Well, I did promise a treat to a good dog if you said yes.
> 
> Aishi's mother was suspected in a few murders back in the day. According to police, her family threatened to  
>  sue if they continued 'harassing' her. Looking through the file, it's pretty obvious it's her, but there's no real  
>  evidence outside of circumstantial. Now-a-days, it looks like she's even got a few domestic cases. It's probably  
>  why she and her family moved.
> 
> Aki said they moved because his mother wanted to.
> 
> Was he lying?
> 
> Well, if the reports are anything to go off, it's probably in his best interest to lie. His mother doesn't seem to be  
>  the best. That's all, I'll contact you when I need you. Or email me back if you need my services.
> 
> Don't do anything too stupid, Taro. You're a good asset.

Taro sat in bed, starting at the message and rereading it over and over again as he tried to think on what that meant. Was Aki's mother a bad person? Was she hurting him? He frowned deeply as a pit settled in his stomach, the feeling of nausea hitting him. He groaned, turning over and rubbing his face. He couldn't kill Aki's mother, that would force him to be moved out. He would have to come up with a plan, but for now, he needed sleep.

He dreamt of a woman with black hair that night. And he dreamt of strangling her until she went limp. He wondered if she strangled someone too, if she had used a knife and carved someone's flesh open. He didn't dream of anything else after her light was extinguished, and he woke up to the darkness again.

He was going to protect Aki.

He needed the sun. His light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WENT OVERBOARD OOPS. I didn't mean to go on this long but... well. Haha.


	3. In a Vacuum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taro makes a big mistake, and his work for Info-san pays off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo, kokona and musume are now introduced! new names respectively : kotonoha hakuta & mutsumi ryuzaki  
> also a lil hanako sneak peek!! she'll be a big part later on 
> 
> also; mutsumi is in taro's year, while kotonoha is in aki's year :)
> 
> also have i told you guys how much i hate renaming these characters because WOW. musume was actual hell since "ronshaku" is. so hard to replace w something that has the same amount of blatant implications. i couldn't even find anything that wasn't just straight naming her after a yakuza syndicate (which wouldn't make sense for a Million reasons wefnkwejfn) so i went with something else and her 'loan shark father' thing is still in place.

It had been a few weeks since meeting Info-san, and while being a 'lap dog' (as they so _kindly_ put it) wasn't the most fun of jobs, it did give Taro a lot of benefits. For one, most people left him alone now, and no one outwardly talked about his shady dealings with Info-san, which was great. Even right now, he was on the job, looking out for a one Ryuzaki Mutsumi. Truth be told, Taro never liked the girl. Her dyed hair, loud and boisterous attitude, and faux flirting with both Taro _and_ Osamu was enough to grate his senses whenever she was around. The only good thing was her constant tips for Taro when delivering her goods or picking up money, he was happy to save that for gifts for Aki.

Today, she had apparently wanted a new uniform to mess around with, a pack of cigarettes, a new phone, and a few cheat sheets for an upcoming test. Taro had found out long ago that none of this was for her outside of the uniform, most of it was for her friends. He had begun finding out quite a lot about her, even if he didn't want to. She was definitely fake, but at the very least he could almost sympathize with her wanting to keep her friends. He would gladly do the same if Akimitsu asked him to, so he supposed he wasn't going to mock her. At least not yet.

"Ryuzaki-san," he called out, gripping his bag as he walked towards her. Their usual meeting spot behind the school was an easy enough place to not be seen, and outside of the occasional delinquent who hung around sometimes, there was virtually no one who would see them.

"Ah, Yamada-kuunnn," Ryuzaki hummed excitedly, waving without hesitation. Taro withheld the eye-roll at the way the other grew far too excited, simply huffing out as he pulled the bag off his shoulder. Setting it in front of her, he crossed his arms.

"Payment?"

"Aw, so mean, Yamada-kun! Not even greeting a girl properly. How mean," she pouted in a fake manner before digging through the bag, growing excited as she pulled out the items. "Ahh, thank you! You and Info-san are, like, totally cool! Thanks for this," Ryuzaki squealed out, moving to dig into her own bag, throwing over a band of money.

"Whatever."

Ryuzaki let out a giggle, rolling her eyes as she shoved the goods back into her bag, humming as she did so. She looked up for a moment, almost nervously, a couple times before Taro finally cracked.

"Why are you looking like that?"

"Well.. Uhm, I probably _shouldn't_ tell you this, since it's about my friends," she replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

"You already started, so get on with it."

"You're friends with that Aishi-kun kid right?"

Taro froze for a moment as his eyebrows furrowed further, arms crossing over his chest. "Yes."

"I heard Hakuta-chan confessed to him earlier. I thought.. maybe you'd wanna know?" she commented. It was easy to see she was testing the waters, seeing how the other reacted. Taro felt his entire body go rigid as his brain went a mile a minute. Did she know? Did _Hakuta_ know? _Did Aki know?_ As all the questions swirled in his head, it must have shown on his face, as Ryuzaki added on more. "I mean, it's kinda obvious you _like_ him. So I thought.. maybe I'd give you a heads up on this kind of stuff?"

Taro stared at Ryuzaki for a long moment, every question in his head disappearing as he thought to what she could possibly gain. He knew well there had to be something, she wasn't going to just do this for the shit's and giggles. She was doing this for a _reason_.

"What do you want out of it?"

"..Ah, you know I have ulterior motives... Well, I want you to do the same for me with Fuse-chan. I want to know if I have any love rivals," Ryuzaki replied instantly, clapping her hands together.

Pausing, Taro blinked absentmindedly. He figured that in her eyes, it was an even trade, but to Taro that was so _little_. She had given him something as big as Info-San could provide, and everything in his mind was both enraged and grateful. He nodded quietly, agreeing to the comment. She squealed out, throwing her arms around him and thanking him.

Taro didn't know what he was doing when he stayed out behind the school for an extra hour, the sun slowly setting. The early twilight was all thanks to the winter months approaching, and while it was still and calm, there was a certain eeriness. It fit right into Taro's mood, the calm before the storm. He was numb for the moment, but his body's trembling was giving away everything he was feeling inside. He felt like a tornado in the dark, about to destroy everything without anyone knowing.

Hands shaking as he walked home, Taro couldn't help as his brain went haywire. Every emotions grew with the seconds, and moreover, he kept thinking about how _Aki_ reacted. Did he accept that confession? Was he interested in Hakuta? He couldn't stop thinking as he walked into his home. Getting inside he could hear Hanako cooing at the cat in the living room, but his anger was too high to even _pretend_ to be a good brother. He walked into his room, slamming the door before throwing the bag down.

_Fuck fuck fuck FUCK **FUCK**._

His arms moved before he could think, sweeping everything off the desk before he could even stop it. He let out a loud, angry noise before he finally sat on the ground, nails digging into his arms. Hakuta was going to take _his_ infinity, _his_ sun, _his_. She was going to ruin everything, and he was none the wiser until that idiot Ryuzaki told him. His breathing grew ragged as anger flew threw him, struggling to keep a calm demeanor. He was usually able to hold it in, but this? This was ripping at him. He froze as he heard a knock at the door, before it opened.

"Hey, are you good in here?"

"Go away, Hanako."

"You sound like you're having a _tantrum_."

"I said _go the fuck away_."

"Oh shut up," walking in, Hanako took a seat beside the older, earning him staring in a steely manner. "C'mon, let it out! Talk to me. We might hate each other most of the time, but I wanna make sure you're okay."

"..The person I like was confessed to," Taro admitted, burying his face into his knees with a groan.

"Then take them back."

"...What?"

"I said take them back! Do whatever you have to, win back your love!" the young girl replied, crossing her arms with a grin. "That's what my friend Momo always says! A guy who doesn't try to win back the person he loves is a total _loser_. What would the person you like think if you just gave up?"

The young man paused as he looked over to his sister, thinking on it. Of course, why didn't he think of that? He needs to stand up and fight for what's his. He just had to make sure Hakuta knew that Akimitsu was _only_ Taro's. He couldn't help but grin at the thought, seeming to finally make the connection. He would prove to Aki that he was worth fighting for, and that he was _better_ than that bitch who confessed to him.

"I think you're right Hana.. Thanks for helping."

"No problem, Taro. Just remember, I'm always here, okay?" Hanako pat his back for a moment. "I won't tell mom and dad that you totally broke some stuff too."

"I'll make you chicken katsu."

"I knew it was worth it to check on you," Hanako laughed lightly, standing up. "I look forward to dinner then," she hummed out, walking out of the room.

As she did so, Taro's mind raced at what he could do. He moved to his desk, pausing only to search for a pen on the floor and a piece of paper before setting it on the clear surface, writing hastily and with shaking hands. He knew Hakuta was popular, but she didn't get many confessions. A lot of guys were a little too wary to even try, so Taro used that to his advantage. He wrote a lot of soft, sappy things that he could only apply to Aki before begging that if she was going to reject him, at least do it in person. He remained anonymous, signing it off as a secret admirer.

The night was spent wondering what he was going to do when she _got_ _there_.

That morning, Taro got up a lot earlier, making sure to get to school before sunrise and leaving the note in her locker. Walking back home, his mind buzzed with a feeling he was unsure about. He needed to be careful, if he hurt her, she might go to the police. Info-San probably couldn't help him _there_. Finally arriving back home, he waited until the appropriate time to leave, opening the door to Osamu, Reiko, and Aki.

"Glad to see you finally got your sleeping patter in check. Did you eat?"

"I did, I did, relax. Let's go," Taro sighed out, waving the redhead off. While walking, he noted the way Aki squirmed, seeming to want to talk. He paused at the behaviour, raising a brow as he looked towards Reiko and Osamu. He had to be thankful for Reiko, who seemed to catch on that Aki wanted alone time with Taro, quickly tugging Osamu along and commenting on something needing to be done.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"Was it that obvious?" the shorter sighed out, hand running through his hair.

"Yeah, you're not exactly being stealthy."

"Are you mad at me, senpai?" the question came from left field.

Taro's eyebrows furrowed instantly as he looked over towards the shorter, shaking his head quickly. "No, not at all. What gave you that idea?"

"You haven't been walking home with us recently, and I was worried it was my fault. I'm sorry," Aki looked down, wringing his hands tightly.

"I would tell you if I was mad. I got a part time job, so I can't walk home some days. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way," a hand pressed into Aki's hair then, earning a large smile. _This is worth it. Think about how easy it'll be after you get rid of the **problem.**_

"I'm so relieved! I was so worried you didn't like me anymore, Yamada-senpai!"

"I could never stop liking you, Aishi-kun," Taro replied. He couldn't help but feel his heart _flutter_ at the way Aki smiled at that, far more soft and docile. _Domestic, even_. His mind wandered as he continued walking, ensuring to stay close to Aki. He was _his_ and his alone. The notebook filled with poetry on him proved that.

The day was slower than normal as Taro's brain thought of what could happen. What should he do to Hakuta? What would he do _after_ what he did? Would it be enough to truly make sure she was going to stay away from Aki? He tried focusing on school, he _really_ did, but his brain kept going to what could happen after everything was said and done. His grip on the desk turned his knuckles white as he thought of what would happen if she _didn't_ want to leave him alone.

When the end of the day came, Taro let Aki specifically know he couldn't walk home today. The way the younger softened and told him it was okay was well worth the extra few minutes it took to find his last class, and he was excited. Moving to the forest line, he'd only have to wait about ten more minutes. He was bigger than her, he knew that, so intimidation would be easy. He would just need to be careful on making sure she wouldn't _tell on him_.

Seeing her walking in the distance, he prepared himself, breathing in as he waited. He made sure to turn away so she didn't see it was him. He was quite sure that regardless of what the letter said, she would've turned back upon seeing Taro. He wasn't exactly the most well liked in _any_ circle right now, and that was fine by him.

"Uhm, excuse me.. Did you write this letter?"

"Yes, I did," turning to her, he saw the way her face contorted into confusion.

"Yamada-senpai?"

"I apologize, I brought you here under false pretenses. I did write that letter, but I didn't mean anything in it."

"Wh--hey! You're an asshole, what the hell? Why would you confess like this to--"

"Would you shut up for one _fucking second_?" the feeling of rage that had been simmering under the surface reappeared, hand grabbing her shoulder tightly. She winced, glaring up at him with a huff. "I want you to stay away from Akimitsu Aishi."

"What? Why should I?"

"None of your business. Just stay _away_."

For a moment there was silence, and Taro almost thought she might have gotten the message. It was only taken away in a second though, when her face twisted and she spat onto the ground, crossing her arms with a huff.

"Go _fuck_ yourself. I won't stay away from Ai-kun just cause you tell me to! You're being _weird._ "

_'You're weird Taro.'_

"I'm telling you," he moved his grip to her upper arms then, tightening instantly. " _Stay. Away_."

"...You're telling me to stop because you like him, don't you?" she questioned, earning a dumbfounded expression. "Well this isn't how you get Ai-kun to like you, idiot!"

_Shut up_...

"He wouldn't like you being such a _freak_ and threatening me!"

_Shut up._

"In fact, does he even like you as a friend? Or are you just threatening him too?"

_Shut the **fuck** up._

"Huh? Are you threatening Ai-kun, Yamada?"

"Shut the fuck up," a soft whisper came out.

"Excuse me? Speak up if you're going to start saying--"

" _I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP_ ," he snapped instantly, hands going toward her neck in an instant.

It was a struggle, nails digging into this arms and legs kicking wildly. He was making a mistake, he knew that, but the feeling of her neck in his hands as he squeezed mercilessly, and the look in her eyes of pure horror kept him from stopping. He just needed to _warn her_. She would _listen_ if he did this. When she looked close to passing out, he finally pulled back, breathing ragged and hands trembling. Her own breathing was raspy and broken, coughs and gasps for air following.

"Now do you understand? Stay the _fuck_ away from Aki."

He stared at her as she stared right back, eyes wide and shiny with tears. She looked over for a second, and as his eyes followed, she quickly picked a rock up, moving to hit him with it. He grunted out in pain at the way it hit his shoulder, but he was suddenly thankful for their stature difference.

He grabbed her by the wrist then, using his lower body to pin hers as he tried to force the rock from her hand. Anger fueled him as she continued kicking, abruptly screaming out. He covered her mouth with one hand, forcing her wrist down with his other. Taro stared down at her, rage rising. She wasn't going to listen. She was _never_ going to listen. He looked at the wrist he held down, abruptly cringing when her fist from the other side met his head.

_'You should just die.'_

He didn't think when he did it, fist raising and slamming down. The first punch broke her nose, he was sure, and when she dropped the rock, he didn't hesitate to pick it up. Over and over again, the only sound in the tree line was a wet _thud_ mix with cracks. He only stopped when he couldn't recognize her face anymore, the blood pooling around her head growing more and more by the second.

_He killed her._

**_He killed someone._ **

His mind went a mile a minute then, hands shaking as he thought of what to do. Who to tell. _Info-San._ They were his last ditch hope.

> help  
> please  
> im begging pleas ehlp
> 
> Oh my, you really did it huh? I didn't think you had it in you.
> 
> how do ou know??  
> please no one can find out please
> 
> Relax, I wouldn't want my little lap dog getting in trouble.  
> I know because I have eyes and ears everywhere, Taro.
> 
> what do i do??   
> oh god what did i do oh god  
> fuck  
> please  
> helpe me
> 
> First of all, calm down. You're panicking, which isn't good for this situation.  
> Second of all, there's a music case in the gym's storage. No one uses it. Go get it.  
> Put her body in the music case, and leave it in the woods. I'll burn it during the night.
> 
> whya re you helping me.  
> what do you gain?
> 
> Well, you're taking out the trash for me. Not to mention, some of us have plans before  
> we go around doing things like that. Now, go and do it. I'll deal with the blood. Got it?
> 
> thank you i owe you so much
> 
> I know.

Listening to Info-San's advice, Taro quickly ran to the gym, making sure no one was around anymore. He hadn't realized how _long_ that conversation had been. Running right back with it, he lifted the figure into the case, locking it quickly before pushing it into the woods. He looked down at his clothes. _Blood. **Blood of the person he killed.**_

He took back allies that night, hands shaking and trembling. He snuck into his home, making sure to not let Hanako know he was back. He took a shower, changed his clothes, and put the blood stained ones into a bag. He thought about what to do. He would burn these, definitely. Pushing them under his bed, he moved to sit at his desk, staring at a blank piece of paper. He needed to write, he needed to do _something_ to get all this out.

_i killed ~~kotonoha~~ [ someone ] for you_

_i am petrified of what i will do **for love**_

_did i leave behind a clue? maybe two??_

_**i am so scared for what's to come, but when push comes to shove**_

**I will protect you, Akimitsu**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's where you can find more of my stuff!
> 
> ko-fi ;; https://ko-fi.com/josiaht
> 
> twitter ;; https://twitter.com/jt_it_


	4. Extinguished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The few weeks after Kotonoha went missing have a lot of effects on Akademi, Taro, and Aki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo it's been a minute! i apologize, i've been working on a specific fic recently for the holidays so i haven't had time to write!! but im back and better than ever babey B) also at the end i have some sketches of aki and taro!!
> 
> and also a new character has entered the fray! >: )

Staring in a mirror, Taro took a deep breath in, trying to calm his nerves. He'd see Aki today, after killing the person who confessed to him. He felt nausea hit, and he was almost tempted to not go to school, but he knew that was a bad idea. It'd make him seem very obvious, and that was the _last_ thing he wanted. He groaned lowly, splashing his face with water for a moment to get the anxiety to calm down. He couldn't freak out and break, it'd only fuck him over in the long run. He turned to hear the kitten, _Naruto_ his brain supplied, meowing and rubbing itself against his leg. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay, okay, I'll feed you," he muttered, walking downstairs. He noted Hanako was already eating, humming along to whatever song was on her phone. He stopped and watched her for only a moment, thoughts of the night before filling his mind. He shook his head out, quickly moving to the kitchen to fill the cat's dish with wet food. He could do this, he wouldn't break.

As he filled the bowl, he pat the cat as it passed him by. The once mangy little thing was looking nice, getting to a healthier weight than the first few weeks. He sighed, resting on the kitchen tile as he watched it scarf down some food. How that little thing ate so much, he'd never know.

"Hey."

Looking up to see Hanako resting against the door frame, Taro sat up. "Yo."

"Y'okay? What time did you get home? You look like you didn't sleep," his little sister fretted.

He felt his heart pound for a moment, but he figured it was fine. He wasn't a bad liar, and add on that Hanako was usually quick to believe him, he could do this. He just had to think of an amiable lie. He knew he couldn't mention Reiko or Osamu, those two would rat him out. Taking a deep breath, he rested his head against the cupboard behind him. He could do this. He could _do this_.

"I, uh, I kinda got in my feelings last night. About.. mom and dad and stuff," he lied, moving a hand through his hair. He noted the way his sister stiffened, furrowing her brow in concern. He continued, "I stayed out running and thinking about them. By the time I got home, I was pretty upset, and I didn't wanna upset you so I just.. snuck in. I didn't really sleep well," he rubbed the back of his neck, watching her from the corner of his eye.

She seemed to take the bait at least, offering a sympathetic frown as she moved to sit beside him, patting his shoulder. _Good. **Good**. She believed him, that was what mattered most here._

"I'm sorry Taro. Do you wanna stay home from school? I can tell Osamu and Reiko you aren't feeling ok.."

"No.. No, I should go. It'll only make things worse to stay in my head, y'know?" he sighed out, stretching as he felt her pat his shoulder. He didn't think it'd work out this well, but he was thankful at least that his little sister was so gullible.

She nodded, offering a sad smile, before going to get Naruto some more food. He breathed in, he had to get his story _straight_. If, no- _when_ they found out Kotonoha was missing, they were probably going to question people in the school. He wasn't on the radar, but one could never be too careful. He groaned lowly hearing knocking at the door, moving to pull his hair into a low ponytail before going to answer it. Of _course_ Osamu had to be this fucking early.

Walking to the door, he paused hearing the conversation muffled outside. Osamu and Reiko seemed to be questioning Aki about something. He froze, deciding not to open the door as he pressed his ear to it, furrowing his brow.

"She's so cute though! How come you're rejecting her, Aishi-kun?" Reiko's annoying voice nearly made Taro throw the door open so she would shut up, but he continued listening.

"I just don't really feel that way about her.. I feel bad, but I think it'd be worse of me to get into a relationship with someone I don't care about in that sense," Aki was soft spoken about it, and Taro had to wonder if he didn't want Taro hearing.

"That's a good point, Ai-kun!" Osamu's voice praising Aki made his stomach _churn_ , moving to open the door instantly.

It was easy to see he had managed to interrupt a moment, a hand pressed on Aki's head earned Taro quirking a brow. _Control yourself. **Control yourself.**_ He had to avoid being obvious about his deep breath, so he just let out a sigh at the antics. Reiko was the first to shove her way in, calling out to Hanako excitedly. Rolling his eyes, he looked to Aki and Osamu. The taller of the two raised his own brow, whereas Aki seemed to frown gently.

"You look like shit."

"Uhm--I think, uh, what Nakajima-senpai means to say is you don't look well, Yamada-senpai. Are you okay?" the worried tone Aki took was enough to fuel Taro for _years_. His sun was worried about him.

Maybe killing Kotonoha wasn't that bad, if it means his sun spoke to him like this all the time. Worried and gentle, wanting to make sure he was okay. Taro withheld his excitement, making sure to not show off just how _happy_ he was by that. He grunted, moving to rub his eyes and yawn casually. Play it up, make it look _believable_.

"Just some bad sleep, it's no big deal. I'll be able to sleep in Hinata-sensei's class," Taro offered up, watching the way Aki's frown only seemed to deepen. _God_ why was he so cute? Who let him be this god damn cute?

"You're already close to failing, stupid! You shouldn't sleep in class!" Osamu groaned out, smacking Taro's head. He nearly punched Osamu for making him look like a fool, before Aki spoke up.

"I-I think it's maybe a good idea...? Not every day! But just for today, since Yamada-senpai seems really tired," the smallest of the three gently spoke, looking between his two seniors. Osamu huffed out, waving him off and commenting that letting Taro get away with stuff like this was how he ended up being such a loser.

Taro, however, felt his heart _soar_. Not only was Aki _worried_ , but he was so worried he was willing to stand up against Osamu? A senior of his? If he could, he would've thrown his arms around Aki right then and there, showering him with affection and praise. He refrained though, instead smiling gently and patting the short teen's head with a soft 'thank you'. He paused seeing Hanako and Reiko come out of the kitchen excitedly, arm in arm.

Seeing Hanako grow excited to see someone new, especially someone who seemed to hold her brother's attention, Taro felt himself grow tense. He knew his sister well enough to know Aki wasn't her type at all, and he also figured Aki wouldn't date a middle school student, but that didn't change the pit in his stomach as they greeted one another, happily having a conversation. He had to be thankful that his phone pulled him away, before he made a mistake and got angry at Hanako.

> For the next couple days, you won't be working for me.
> 
> Why?
> 
> The cops will figure out pretty soon that _she_ is missing.  
> Her father isn't neglectful like I thought, so he'll probably  
> notice tonight she isn't home, if not today, considering  
> the school will call him.
> 
> What does that have to do with me working for you?
> 
> You'll look suspicious continuing to work for me. I've  
> set some red herrings up, so her disappearance and  
> subsequent murder looks like someone else did it.

Eyebrows furrowed then, Taro felt his heart rate pick up. He pocketed his phone, figuring he could text in class when he pretended to sleep. Why the _fuck_ was Info-san letting them find out she was murdered? Wouldn't it be better to just keep her as a missing person's case?? He tried to keep from freaking out, tuning back into the conversations. He realized then that they had already seen Hanako off to her school, and were now talking amongst each other.

"Who were you texting, Taro?" Osamu questioned curiously, nearly startling Taro. He kept his composure, quickly thinking of what to say.

"My boss. He said I'm gonna have a couple days off."

"Ohh, I heard from Aishi-kun that you got a job! What are you doing?" Reiko chirped, excitedly watching the taller.

"I'm just doing some physical labor. It's nothing serious," Taro shrugged, feeling his anxiety pick up. He was a good liar, he knew that much, but there was only so much you could get away with.

"Where do you work?" Osamu asked, and _boy_ did Taro suddenly hate him.

He had to think quickly, otherwise he was going to look suspicious. There were a lot of places that he could think of, but most of them were accessible to the group. Places like grocery stores, game shops, all of that, were places the group could go in and ask about Taro. Very few of the jobs would be able to pass off as his job, so he tried to think in the split second. _Manual labor, where they won't be able to ask for me..._

"You know that new construction company? I'm doing stuff for them, we're doing some construction on the west end of the town. It's nothing big or fancy, and I'm not really allowed to do much since I'm still in high school, but it's a job," Taro offered up with a shrug.

It seemed to placate the group, and slowly conversations returned to other things. Taro's heart slowly calmed down, and he opted to focus on the walk instead of Info-san for the moment. Getting to Akademi was a slow, grueling process now that he had everything on his mind, and he nearly blanched seeing the place where he _killed her_ in the distance, but he kept his composure. He could do this.

Separating from the group, he finally headed to class, breathing in as he rested his head on the desk, pulling his phone out. He had a couple more minutes before class started so..

> You're doing to let them find her body?
> 
> I thought you burned it.
> 
> I did, but I thought it'd be easier if we set up someone else.
> 
> She still has her teeth, so she can be identified through dental  
> records, but all the evidence has been destroyed by the fire.
> 
> What do you want me to do.
> 
> You catch on quick, I thought I'd have to instruct you more.
> 
> I need you to get noticed by a cop and questioned. Mention  
> that people were spreading rumors about her being on  
> compensated dates. Mention the forum for our school, and  
> the school's unofficial facebook page.
> 
> okay
> 
> then what?
> 
> Then nothing, I'll do the rest. I've made sure that all the  
> red herrings are put into place. Mention Fureaiundo Park.  
> I throw some hair of a registered sex offender on her body,  
> maybe some of his DNA if I can, make sure he has no alibi  
> for that day, and boom.
> 
> Yamada Taro never committed that murder.
> 
> what do you gain from this again?
> 
> Besides keeping my best dog? The Hakuta family was in debt  
> to Ryuzaki-chan's father.
> 
> I don't understand
> 
> Ryuzaki is a soft-hearted idiot. She'll believe me if I say it's  
> her father who did it and who blamed the guy. Then, I get to  
> use that to my advantage. She'll give me whatever I want if I  
> make her feel like she's repaying her debt to Kotonoha.
> 
> Essentially, more access to things I want and need for work  
> and pleasure.

Taro sighed lowly, pushing his phone away. He didn't want to think about this any further. He didn't need to question Info-san anymore, he got his answers. Still, he felt anxious, why was Info-san doing this? Couldn't they get this stuff another way? He shook his head, he just wanted to sleep. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to fall asleep. He ended up sleeping most of the day, only pretending to be awake during the most strict classes, and whenever he got caught snoring.

The day went and came, and by the time the next morning rolled around, it became news. He had been sitting with Hanako, eating breakfast when he turned the news on, only to see the headlines in big, bold letters.

_**MISSING HIGH SCHOOL GIRL** _

He felt his stomach drop as he watched the news go on and on about Kotonoha, staring at it. They flashed her picture, all bright and vibrant and happy. His brain supplied the memory of her face after he beat her _head in with a fucking rock_. He gripped his chopsticks, watching as her father appeared on the screen. The man had obviously been crying, eyes rimmed in red and puffy as can be. He begged his daughter to come home, and then begged that if she was kidnapped to bring her back. That she was the only thing in his life worth saving, that she was his everything.

He looked over to Hanako, who's eyes were watery as well. He wanted to feel bad about it, like he did the night of, but all he could think about was how she had nearly taken away Aki. It was fine, he could make another daughter. _Or he could die. They'd be together then_. He shook his head out then, feeling his stomach churn. Did he really think the guy should die? Sure, he _killed_ someone, but that didn't change that he didn't want to. Not again, unless it was _absolutely necessary_.

"Isn't that your school uniform, Taro?"

"Yeah," he muttered, seeing the second picture come up of her and her friends. They were all in their uniforms, making peace signs and being happy as ever.

_He took that away from her. She'd never come back. All her friends would sit there wondering what happened and be told a lie._

He moved then, setting his chopsticks down and pulling Hanako into a hug. He didn't mean to do it, and he wouldn't do it again. He'd make sure that next time, he'd just get the message across in a different way. Right, he could do that. He tightened his grip on Hanako, rubbing small circles into her back. It was okay. _It was okay_.

He stopped when there was a soft, weak knock at the door. He pulled back, patting Hanako on the head as he breathed in, walking to the door. When he opened it, the atmosphere was heavy. It was barely a second before a weight rested itself against his chest, face buried into his shoulder with a muffled whimper. He didn't think, autopilot doing the work of wrapping arms around whoever threw themselves at him. He looked down, realizing it was Aki. Looking back up, he saw Reiko and Osamu being uncharacteristically quiet. Right, they all heard.

He gestured them in, slowly moving to help Aki in. He had to make sure Aki was okay, he had done this for him after all. His sun needed to know he was never going to be hurt. _Ever_.

"You heard about Hakuta, I'm guessing. She was your friend, right?" he asked, rubbing slow, gentle circles into the smaller teen's back. He earned a nod. "It's okay, there's nothing yet about her being hurt or anything. She might've just run away, a lot of kids do that," he muttered, offering a pat to the head.

He watched as Aki pulled back, eyes rimmed with tears but a spark of hope still burning in them. He realized then, that _he_ was the one who was going to break that hope. Taro would crush that hope the day Kotonoha's corpse was found. He felt sick at that thought, but he held it in as he offered a gentle smile.

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure she would be. From what I know about Hakuta, she's a fighter. At least, that's what Ryuzaki-san said about her. She'll be okay, Aishi-kun," Taro gripped the smaller to himself gently, nodding. He felt bad lying to Aki, but he had to. If he acted suspicious, if he let the other know that he had any part in this, it would be _game over_. He would never get the love he so rightfully fought for.

The walk to school was tense, even with the group trying to make Aki feel better. As Hanako left, Taro decided to play up a little, wanting to look as caring as he could. He gripped her hand tightly for a moment, making sure she had her phone, and reminding her to be careful. _'Don't hesitate to call the police on anything. Or me, or Osamu, or anyone. Okay?'_

Getting to school, the entire place was dreadful. Police everywhere, looking through every part of and around the building, interrogating students and casually conversing with them. Taro felt his anxiety rise up once more, but he knew he had to stay calm. If he could play this off, he could get this to work out. He could make sure that no one knew that he _killed her_. When their group was noticed by a few officers finishing up their conversations, they were waved over.

"Excuse us, we're with the Hikone Police Department, can we ask you all questions separately?"

"Of course," Osamu agreed, earning nods from the rest of the group.

Offering a gentle squeeze to Aki's shoulder, he followed one of the younger police officers. Taro let out a low breath as he sat beside the fountain, next to the officer. The guy was tall, but he had a bit of a baby face to him. Probably new to the force, if Taro had to guess. Then again, he didn't know much about cops, so he could only take a wild guess.

"I'm sorry to bother you so early in the morning. My name is Arai Hideki, we're here to discuss the recent disappearance of one of your schoolmates, Hakuta Kotonoha. Did you know Miss Hakuta?"

Taro shook his head, breathing in. "Don't worry, you aren't a bother, Arai-san. Uh, to answer you though, not really? Not personally, anyway. She's a grade below me, and I generally keep to myself," he moved, leaning back on his hands. "I only knew the rumors about her, really."

"Rumors?"

Taro withheld his smirk, this guy was easy. He was picking up on Info-san's little plan instantly, wanting to know more. He kept his face neutral, nodding as he moved from leaning back to leaning towards Arai.

"I don't wanna gossip, especially not of someone missing."

"Any information you have can help us..." he paused, looking at Taro.

"Yamada Taro," he greeted, breathing in. "Well, if it can help... It's just a rumor, so take it with a grain of salt, but from what I knew, she was going on compensated dates."

"Really? Where did you hear it? Do you know why??"

"I saw it more than once on our school's forum, before it got deleted by mods. And on the unofficial facebook page, but that didn't get deleted. No one ever said why, they just said she was seen with older guys all the time. I heard it was close to Shingaicho... That park?"

"Fureaiundo Park? That's a bit far from here."

"It's just what I heard. It could be wrong, especially given that it was baseless gossip," Taro shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just hope she's okay."

Arai paused, patting Taro on the should affectionately. It took everything in Taro not to laugh out loud at the way this _idiot_ was falling for his lies. He was practically making this easy for him. He didn't want to blow it though, so he offered a sad smile.

"We'll find her."

"Thank you, Arai-san."

"Of course, if you know anything else, be sure to call me," he moved, handing out a business card. Smiling gently, Taro nodded as he took it, putting it in his wallet. He'd give the information to Info-san after this was all done.

The rest of the day was spent watching his classmates and fellow students talk to cops, watching them go into the woods and pass right over the spot where she was _murdered_. He felt a sick sense of thrill seeing the way sniffer dogs seemed to even pass it over, and he had to wonder what Info-san did to get rid of the smell of blood for them. He shook his head out, and as the end of the day came to a close, he realized something.

He had stopped feeling bad, and now, he was feeling _excited_. Like he had managed to fool all of the town in this little incident. _Holy shit_.

The next few days were the same as always, people having conversations and whispers. He felt bad for Aki, who was obviously anxious about the whole thing, who clung to _Taro_ of all people during this time. He felt a lot of pride at that, but he pretended to play the part of concerned senpai who just wanted the girl home.

Three days later, he was woken up by Hanako shaking him aggressively. Groaning lowly he turned over, but he froze at what he heard coming from her phone.

" _Dead body found in the woods near Mount Ryozen earlier this morning. Hikone Police believe that this is the body of the high school girl Hakuta Kotonoha, but the tests have yet to come back. We'll discuss this story more as it develops._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HITS THE WOAH. so! aki and taro, i wanted them to look pretty different!
> 
> Aki: 
> 
> Taro:


End file.
